Located in what was once a predominantly Jewish immigrant neighborhood, this 1863 tenement house has been re-created to depict families' apartments as they would have looked in the 19th century, the Great Depression and the mid-20th century. It's one of the city's best museums but perhaps too little known. It presents insight into immigrant life and how it affected New York City. The Museum is open daily from 11 am-5pm, and until 8 pm on Thursday. You can view an informative film about immigrant life while you wait for your tour to begin. The museum offers four tours: "Getting By," "Piecing It Together," "The Moores: An Irish-American Family in America" and "The Confino Apartment Tour." This last tour gives children the chance to try on period clothing and to chat with interpreters portraying immigrants who lived there a century ago. There is also a Lower East Side Walking Tour offered. Phone, or check the Web site for exact tour schedule. The tenement apartments are seen by one-hour guided tour only: Monday-Wednesday and Friday 1-4:45 pm; Thursday 1-7:15 pm; Saturday-Sunday 11 am-4:45 pm. Reservations for tours are highly recommended. US$17 adults, US$13 seniors and students. The apartment tour is suitable for children ages 5 and older. All tours begin at the museum's visitors center at 108 Orchard St. (at Broome Street). 108 Orchard St. (subway line B or D to Grand Street; F, J, M or Z to Delancey-Essex Street), Manhattan, New York City. Phone 212-431-0233. http://www.tenement.org.
